The Island Breeze International Conference has come to a close, following six days filled with worship, music, cultural exchange, and meaningful connection.
Isi Masi with Island Breeze Manitoba says it was an incredible experience to welcome people from all over the world, including the Philippines, New Zealand, Australia, Hawaii, the United States, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Fiji, the Caribbean, South Africa, and Samoa.
“Just to have our group together and what we've been doing, it's been really, really good.”
Honouring culture and community
Beyond the reunion of the Island Breeze family, one of the key focuses of the conference was cultural restoration and honouring Indigenous peoples and traditions.
“One of the things that we did right away because as a ministry of Island Breeze, we are really on culture restoration and so that requires us just wanting to hear stories of the people of the land. So, we have what somebody facilitated it for us, native blanket exercise to go through Canada's history.”
Another important part of that journey was a visit to Brokenhead Ojibway Nation. Masi shares a powerful story about a vision to return buffalo to Indigenous land 13 years ago. The idea had started in Saskatchewan and has now spread across five First Nations communities, including Brokenhead.
“Chief Gordon Blue Sky, you could just see how proud they are to share because they just bought the Buffaloes last year and those cows have had babies, so now they had 14, so you see that in the peoples faces. For our international group to see that, that's exactly what we're trying to highlight in culture restoration, amazing!”
For Mietta Skuthorpe-Spearium, an Aboriginal woman from Australia, this was her first time visiting Canada. She describes the experience as both moving and beautiful.
A standout moment of the conference was taking part in the cultural exchange at Brokenhead, where she was able to represent her people through traditional song and dance.
“To me, that is really important, especially as an Aboriginal person from Australia, and having the chance to share that moment with the Aboriginal people of this country, that was the biggest highlight of this week.”
She says the experience filled her with happiness.
“I’m really happy in my heart to be here and share this moment with my Island Breeze family!”
The conference also featured a visit to the Mennonite Heritage Village in Steinbach, offering participants a chance to learn about Mennonite culture.
A generous welcome from Steinbach
Masi says international visitors were touched by the warm welcome from the Steinbach community.
“Some of them are staying with billets, so being hosted in the community, they are hearing about us.”
He also notes how the kindness began before the conference even started, through events like the KPMG Taste of Summer Charity BBQ, and the generosity continued afterwards.
“Some people have dropped off food donations, and so they're seeing why we love being in Steinbach. That giving culture that we have, it's very unique to Steinbach, I know that for sure.”
Voices from around the world
Siutu Rivers, originally from Samoa and now living in Perth, Australia, said this was her first time in Manitoba, though she had previously done mission work in British Columbia.
“It's been really good to be back in Canada,” she says. “I feel like my roots are here in this nation. It's very dear to us, our family.”
She says southern Manitoba reminds her of places like New Zealand or Europe.
“It's very restful. It's very nice, even just very welcoming. So, I'm very excited to be here just to see another part of Canada.”
Waqa Baravilala, who leads Island Breeze in Australia and is originally from Fiji, had high praise for the city.
“It’s beautiful! It’s a beautiful piece of paradise,” he says. “I think it’s the people and the atmosphere.”
He adds that the conference was a success.
“We have this conference every two years, and I hosted two years ago. And then when Isi and Tessa put their hands up, we were all looking forward to come and see what they do here.”
Rudy Valle, originally from Maui, Hawaii, is no stranger to Steinbach, having visited multiple times.
He says this visit was especially impactful.
“To meet with the international, it’s good because it gives you perspective in what their doing in their sphere of influence, in their communities, and making it better.”
With files from Judy Peters